


A Promise

by kdm103020



Series: Stony Shorts [2]
Category: Captain America - All Media Types, Iron Man - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: M/M, Relationship Negotiation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-15
Updated: 2017-04-15
Packaged: 2018-10-19 01:35:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 661
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10629429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kdm103020/pseuds/kdm103020
Summary: Stevehatesit when Tony places himself in unnecessary danger.  Tony sets a few things straight.





	

“What the hell were you thinking?!”  Steve’s outraged voice follows Tony into the living room.

Tony _really_ doesn’t want to do this right now.  He’s sweaty, he’s tired, and his shoulder aches from where it collided with that piece of debris.  All he really wants to do is shower off and collapse for the next twelve hours, but Steve seems bound and determined to read him the riot act first. 

“I was thinking,” he snaps, hoping that Steve will drop it, “that people might have been in danger.  I did what was necessary.” 

“No, you didn’t!  You deliberately put yourself in jeopardy.” 

“We’re Avengers.  Our entire job description involves us putting ourselves in danger.  That’s what we do.”

“ _Necessary_ danger,” Steve stresses.  “It doesn’t involve you flying into a collapsing building without approval or backup!” 

“In case you didn’t notice, there wasn’t time.  That tower was coming down, and there was no way to know if the building was clear.  People could have died.” 

“You could have died!”  Steve runs his hands through his hair, which is already messy from having pulled off the cowl.  “Tony, I get what you were trying to do.  I really do.  But diving into a situation without proper prep or backup is just foolish!”  He moves closer, pushing into Tony’s personal space.  “Promise me you won’t do that again.”

“Could you?” Tony shoots back.  “If it comes down to a choice between you and the next guy, are you going to be the one to hold back?”  Steve remains silent, and Tony can’t help but scoff.  “God, you’re hypocritical!  Everyone has rules to follow, except for you.  Rules don’t matter when the Captain’s involved.” 

“That’s not it at all!  I can take a hit a lot easier than you can.”

“So that’s what this is about?  Since I’m not invulnerable, I’m not allowed to take risks?" he asks, somewhat pissed off.  "Hate to burst your bubble, Steve, but not all of us can be invincible.  We have to do the best with what we’ve got.” 

Steve crosses his arms and glares.  “That’s not what I meant, and you know it.”

“No, Steve, I don’t.  What exactly do you expect from me?  You want me to hang back, wait for permission, and let you call the shots?  Cause that ain’t happening.  You’d have me hovering fifty feet from danger at all times, and I can’t just watch things go down when I can stop them.”  Tony can see Steve getting irritated, but he has to press the point.  “Where is this coming from, anyway?  I don’t see you coddling Clint or Nat, and they’re just as human as I am.” 

“They’re not…” Steve starts, his voice incredibly frustrated. 

“Not what, Steve?  Breakable?  Vulnerable?”

“They’re not you!”  His voice rings out across the empty rooms and the echoes reverberate off the walls.  The two men stand in the silence for a moment until Steve steps forward.  His hands uncross from over his chest and move upward to cradle Tony’s face.  When he starts speaking again, this time his voice is much softer.  “They’re not you.”

Tony takes a deep breath and tries to dig past the implications of all they’re not saying. 

“Steve, I can’t tell you I’m not going to take risks.  I’m as much Iron Man as you are Captain America, and I can’t just watch while things go wrong.” 

Steve’s lips roll in on themselves, and he ducks his head down as if he’s in pain. 

Tony keeps going.  “But I will,” he insists, “always do my best to come back.  I know my risks, and I know my limits, not to mention, I’m sort of invested in making my way back home.”  He brings his own hands up to draw Steve’s head down so that their foreheads are touching. 

“I can’t tell you that all always be safe, but I’ll never stop fighting to make my way back to you.” 

“Promise?”

“I promise.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments are a writer's oxygen!  You can find me [here](http://kdm103020.tumblr.com) on Tumblr.  


End file.
